Sect founder's 'sorry' fails to ease anger
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Mr Lee Man-hee, founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, asked for forgiveness over the coronavirus outbreak in his sect.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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SEOUL/GAPYEONG • The founder of the church at the centre of South Korea's coronavirus outbreak apologised yesterday, weeks after one of its members contracted the disease and infected many others, calling the epidemic a "great calamity".
A member of a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, known as Patient 31, was the first of a wave of infections to hit the country.
Several protesters shouted slurs at the reclusive leader, who spoke a day after the Seoul city government asked prosecutors to begin a murder investigation into him. Seoul said the church was liable for its refusal to cooperate with efforts to stop the disease.
"We did our best, but were not able to stop the spread of the virus," Mr Lee Man-hee, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded and heads the church, told a news conference outside a church facility in Gapyeong, north-east of Seoul.
"I am really grateful, but at the same time, asking for forgiveness. I never thought this would happen, even in my dreams," the 88-year-old said, bowing low twice in a traditional sign of humility and regret.
Tensions simmered ahead of the briefing outside the fortress-like venue, dubbed the Palace of Peace, which was guarded by hundreds of police officers.
Ms Lee Yeon-woo, 54, held a tearful vigil outside, saying she had not heard from her daughter since she joined the church six years ago. Some former church members said many young believers were forced to leave home as part of initiation, breaking ties with their families.
"I can't sleep at night thinking my daughter might have been infected and is groaning in pain in seclusion," Ms Lee said.
There was more outrage following the founder's apology - due partly to a watch he was wearing.
The gold-coloured watch, visible on his left wrist, was apparently given by disgraced former president Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and jailed in 2017 for corruption and abuse of power.
Images of the watch quickly trended on Twitter, while "Lee Man-hee watch" was the most searched phrase on South Korea's biggest search portal Naver.
Founder of South Korean sect says sorry: The leader of a religious sect that has been at the centre of a sudden surge in South Korea's coronavirus infections apologised yesterday for the spread of Covid-19. Mr Lee Man-hee, 88, founder of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, told a news conference outside a church facility in Gapyeong that he was "asking for forgiveness". The Seoul city authorities have filed a murder complaint against him for failing to cooperate in containing the epidemic. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
"He is bragging about Park's gift," fumed one Twitter user.
REUTERS
